HOME GUARD READY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 89, 14 March 1941, Page 5

HOME GUARD READY

BRITAIN’S STERLING FORCE PROUD TRADITIONS. (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 10 a.m.) RUGBY, Mar. 13. The Home Guard is already a mature force one million and a half strong, armed and trained. “No matter how and when the German troops may come,” says a War Office communique dealing with Home Guard activities, “they will not take the home defence forces by surprise.” An invader would not find a scared population and a congested countryside, but ail armed and trained body of men in every town, village, and hamlet who were fighting for their homes on their own home ground. With shot, shell, and bomb, they would contest every foot of ground, fighting as a local force or in conjunction with the Regular Army. “The men of the Home Guard will truly deserve their proud name and the people’s Trust. Already they have proved their worth in the swift response to the call for action. Many times they have been the first to spot and capture German airmen who have baled out. “In air raids the Home Guard has given great help to the Civil Defence Services. In the big blitz on Manchester the Home Guard paraded and was among the first to give aid and the last to leave.” The communique adds that, with verv few exceptions, names of area, group, zone, and battalion commanders, and names for any other appointments, carrying the rank of lieutenantcolonel or above, have been submitted and approved. The command selection boards are dealing with applications for commissions below lieutenantcolonel and a number have been already approved. "'Practically every unit of the Home Guard is up to strength, and many have waiting lists.